Ideas and tips to get along and get stuff done------------ --yyyyy- May 31, 2023
What Adults Don't Get

I recently ran a meeting specifically for people age 16-24 to ask them their views of the world and what they wish adults better understood about their generation. The few adults in the room were sworn to silence; there to listen. The young people in the room said some things that broke my heart.
Here’s what I heard.

Old solutions don’t work for today’s problems
Older folks see “problem behaviors” among younger people and think they know the causes and therefore the solutions. They don’t. The causes are different today and a solution like kicking a kid off a team because of substance use disorder is entirely unhelpful for the kid and utterly ineffective at preventing substance use disorder.

These things (cell phone in hand) are robbing us of the life we could be having
The stuff on our cell phones is addictive and everyone knows it and greedy corporations are taking advantage of us. Not only are cell phones a huge distraction from “real life,” they enable isolation and cause us to fear actual human interactions. Sure, cell phones have some positive attributes, but only some.

Artificial processed food is adversely affecting us physically and mentally
We are a generation raised on highly synthetic food and there have been warnings for years about the harmful effects of too many chemicals in our diets. Is it any wonder that our mental and physical health seems to be in decline? Duh.

We are afraid of strangers and of institutions
We are a generation whose parents put fear into us. Someone might try to abduct you. Anyone could have a gun. Stranger danger. We fear confrontation. Not only that, we have witnessed blatant injustices and double standards in our legal system and don’t trust that institutions will protect us.
What does consensus really mean?

Most of us love the idea. But most of us who have actually tried in it a formal way have left the room angry and lost sleep that night!

It can be very frustrating.

I have been trained by some of the best and I've been in several groups who apply consensus in formal ways. In this workshop I'm going to share how to do it well.

Did you know that there are specific steps and specific attitudes?

The thing is, consensus decision making can be very rewarding and very fulfilling and it can result in group decisions that inspire enthusiasm and dedication beyond imagination. It can create lasting decisions and enduring loyalty.

My Training Talk Shows are always free. Always interactive. Just 50 minutes online.

Please join me.

WEDNESDAY, June 28, 1pm Maine Time, No Charge, Register Here
Check out the voices of these young people
from Indian Island Penobscot Nation - Maine

The music video is called SKICIN IN YOU and it's really great. It's by Shantel Van Dyke, Alexis Ireland, Julian Loring, Leigh Neptune, Gabriel Paul & Nakoa Parsons. Link here.

Enjoy the course at your own pace online. It has videos, written explanations, a 9-page outline of specific techniques, and a checklist of planning steps for facilitators. And it includes a Hardcover, Kindle, or Nook edition of my book - Together We Decide, An Essential Guide for Making Good Group Decisions - your choice.
Hearing from Young People is SO Important

It's a bit of a theme of this newsletter, eh? That's because good group decisions require that we consider ALL voices, especially those who will be most impacted by the future.

So as a last word on today's topic, here's a short video I made in Washington DC a couple years ago.
To Help You Get Along
Written and published by Craig Freshley. Thanks for walking along with me.
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